A Door Ajar
January 22nd, 6:00 AM Wildomar, Leena's House AM Omniance: Leena: A loud caw wakes her. Lucifer is perched on the small table next to her bed. She sighs and sits up. Her room is dark, with curtains drawn closed to keep the morning sun out. It's a sparse room, with most of everything being a dark blue or black. She has no vanity mirror, no TV, or anything. In the corner is a large table with stacks of magic cards, some board games, and some magazines. She gets out of bed wearing flannel PJs that are really unflattering. It's six already? She yawns, rubbing her neck and moving to her closet. After taking a quick shower and getting dressed she heads down stairs. She opens the fridge door. She yells out to no one in particular. Are we out of orange juice? Her mom responds with something from up stairs. After a moment she turns and looks at the kitchen table. There's an empty carton of orange juice and her brother is sitting next to it with a full glass and a bowl of cereal. Tate... Did you drink the last of it? He just smiles at her and she shakes her head. Alright whatever. Her mom comes down stairs. She doesn't look anything like Leena or her brother, having strawberry blonde hair and being taller than her. Jude: Her mother walks around the kitchen. You know the school called last night? Leena: Huh? For me? Jude: Said some boy attacked you. Leena: She rolls her eyes. Grabbing some bread and putting it in the toaster. He fell on me getting out of his seat. Tate: Her brother chimes in with something annoying. Yeah I bet that's what it was. Leena: Shut the hell up- Jude: She says in a tired voice. Don't talk to your brother like that. Tate keep your own business. She walks over and leans on the counter looking at Leena. Is that what really happened? Leena: She shrugs. It was an accident. Jude: Not very convincing. Leena: She sighs. He didn't attack me, he's just a clumsy moron. Jude: Was it one of those Vera boys? She turns to boil some water for oatmeal. I don't know how many times I've told you to stop being around those two. They're trouble. Leena: She rolls her eyes. I've know them forever, it's fine. The toast pops out of the toaster and she grabs it. AM Omniance: After a bit of more uneventful talking she leaves the hours, stepping out into the cold morning air. The sun is still rising, making the sky a pale blue color. Leena: She takes a bite of her toast and pulls out her car keys, heading for the large green truck she drives. She shivers slightly. What are we going to do with Yuri? Lucifer lands on her car and caws loudly. She shrugs. That'll probably kill him. Lucifer caws again and she gets into the car. I think he's freaking out because of what happened Monday. Lucifer hops around on the hood of the truck. Just get inside I don't want to talk about it anymore. The large raven hops off and flies through the window, turning into a small black mouse that scurries into her purse. For a moment Leena just stares at her house in thought, then starts up the truck. AM Arbi: A short woman seems to appear out of nowhere a few feet above the ground hovering, she hovers down and lands infront of Leena's house. She takes out her mirror to check how she looks one last time before grabbing her big purse and heading towards the frontdoor. AM Omniance: Leena: She tilts her head slightly. Did you see that? There's a squeak from her purse. ...Well I saw it. She turns off the truck and gets out calling out to the woman. Hey! AM Arbi: The woman doesn't seem to hear her. The frontdoor opens and Leena's mom welcomes her inside, the door closing behind her. AM Omniance: Leena: She quickly runs for the door, opening it and going inside after the woman. AM Arbi: There's talking coming from the kitchen. Leena's mom speaking with the woman that walked inside just a moment ago. When she runs over to check on them the well dressed woman is having a cup of tea with her mom. Hailey: She slowly raises her cup and sips it before lowering it again. I do hope I get to meet her again. She was just a little girl the last time I saw her. The way they're speaking makes them sound like old friends. AM Omniance: Leena: ...Hey! She stares at the woman, confused by what's happening. Her mom looks at her. ...I... Hi. AM Omniance: Jude: Leena, I'd thought you already left. Leena: ...Not... Yet. Jude: This is Hailey, a very dear friend. We haven't spoken in a while. AM | Edited 8:50:10 AM Arbi: Hailey: She puts her cup of tea down on the table and stands up to get a better look at Leena. My, Evelyn how you've grown. How old are you now may I ask? AM Omniance: Leena: She almost winces when she's called "Evelyn". ...I'm eighteen. She looks awkward. I don't remember you... At all. Sorry. AM | Edited 8:56:35 AM Arbi: Hailey: Let me see. She bounces her finger, counting the years. Ah, You were five the last I saw you. Such a long time ago... She sits back down and grabs her cup of tea. AM Omniance: Leena: Thirteen years... She looks to the side, still nervous that she saw this woman literally fly down to visit her family. AM Arbi: Hailey: She closes her eyes and sips her tea before looking back towards Jude. I know this is sudden, Jude dear but this may be the last oppurtunity I have to see one of my dearest friends before I leave town. I'm moving to New York you see. AM Omniance: Jude: Oh really? Well that must be exciting. I suppose everyone needs a change of scenery at least once in their life. AM Arbi: Hailey: Quite right. She smiles, after a moment the clock begins to ding that it's eight o'clock. So many friends to see, so little time. She puts her cup down again. I'm terribly sorry to have to say this so early but I really must be going now. I do hope you understand. AM Omniance: Jude: No, no. Thanks for coming to see me before leaving. She reaches across the table and she pats Hailey's hand. Keep in touch. AM | Edited 9:15:10 AM Arbi: Hailey: She smiles, closing her eyes and lowering her head slightly before standing up and grabbing her purse. Jude's mom sees her to the door and they hug before Hailey finally leaves, walking off their porch towards the gate doors of Leena's ranch. AM Omniance: Jude: You're going to be late for school. Leena looks over at her mom. Already eight. Leena: ...Yeah... She opens the front door and runs out, making it look like she's headed for her truck before turning and running after Hailey. She calls out after her. Hey! Lady! AM Arbi: Hailey: She stops walking but doesn't turn around when Leena catches up to her. Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However, that parting need not last forever... Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time... That is up to you. She hovers up into the air a few feet towards the gate before vanishing entirely, leaving little clouds of white smoke that quickly fade away. On the ground where she was standing is a necklace. AM Omniance: Leena: What? She watches her float off. How the hell are you flying?! She watches her disappear and just stares at the spot for a moment. ...What? Lucifer runs up to her in mouse form, carrying the necklace. She nudges Leena a few times and she looks down. After a moment she bends down and takes it from Lucifer. She holds the necklace up in the brightening morning light. Was she a witch? ...Can I fly? AM Omniance: Meanwhile... AM Omniance: There's a loud knock on the door to Yuri's room. Yasmine: Mom says get up! Breakfast is cold! She slams her fist on the door. Wake up! AM Arbi: Yuri: He curls up in his bed, grabbing his pillow and covering his head with it so he doesn't have to hear her yelling. AM Omniance: Yasmine: Yuri!- Clara: He can hear his mom outside of the door. Yasmine! Stop yelling! Go get the mail, you didn't get it yesterday, I'll wake him up. After a moment there's a softer knock on his door. Yuri, are you up? AM Arbi: Yuri: He opens the door, already dressed. Yeah. He walks past her towards the stairs to get breakfast downstairs. AM Omniance: Clara: The school called this morning. She follows after him closely. You attacked Leena? AM Arbi: Yuri: He stops in the middle of the stairs and looks back up at her. What? AM Omniance: Clara: They said you tackled her to the ground, and attacked her, during lunch break. What happened Yuri? She doesn't sound mad, more concerned. AM Arbi: Yuri: That's not what happened, mom. I tripped getting up from the lunch table and fell on her...I never attacked her. He turns around and walks down to the living room, heading for the dining room. AM Omniance: Clara: She sighs a bit. I figured it was a misunderstanding, but I was worried anyway. She follows after him, and as he reaches the dining room she grabs him and turns him to face her. So everything is alright? AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks to the side, nodding. Yeah...? AM Omniance: Clara: She shakes her head. Alright. Alright. She motions to the plate on the table. I made you a burrito. She heads into the kitchen to clean up. AM Arbi: Yuri: He sits down at the table and grabs his burrito, taking a bite and muching on it for a bit. He thinks back to what happened before with the man. He doesn't remember having any dreams last night, which makes him feel a little relieved. AM Omniance: The phone suddenly rings. Clara: She says in irritation What now? She rinses off a plate and then moves for the phone. AM Omniance: Clara: She moves over to grab the phone. Hello? She sighs and looks to the side. You already called this morning. She looks at Yuri, making it obvious that it's the school again. ...Oh my- Is he alright? ...Oh... Yeah... Yes... Well. She looks at the clock. I'm not sure. I'll pay for a room if it comes to that... No he's not eighteen yet... She sighs. I am the parent, and I just gave you permission. She shakes her head. Yeah... Yes. That's fine... Bye. She hangs up the phone. Your brother might not be home until tomorrow. There was a mud slide from the storm last weekend, and they have to dig the buses out of the mud today. She looks a bit worried. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks worried himself. Hope he's okay... What else did they say? AM Omniance: Clara: Everyone is fine, but they might have to stay at a motel on the road. I'd go and get him but I'm closing a big housing deal in Sun City. She goes back to cleaning dishes. AM Arbi: Yuri: He stands up. What if I go? AM Omniance: Clara: She sighs and shakes her head. Knew you'd say that. She turns and looks at him. Your grades aren't the best Yuri, and I don't like the idea of you driving all that way alone. AM Arbi: Yuri: But...Lucas. He makes a sad puppy face at her. AM Omniance: Clara: She crosses her arms. Alright, I'll call the school back and get the address to the place they're staying. She walks back over to the phone. You better pass all of your classes at the end of this year. She starts dialing the number. After a brief talk to the attendance VP she hangs up. You left school early yesterday? She slowly turns to look at him. AM Arbi: Yuri: He gulps, not remember what happened. He just remembers the pain in his chest, the man showing up again and then being home. I did? AM Omniance: Clara: She sighs. I told the school you were sick. She holds out the paper with the address. There and back. I want to see your butt in that seat by dinner. Understand? AM Arbi: Yuri: He nods and takes the paper before grabbing his backpack and quickly heading out. Thanks, mom! AM | Edited 9:59:56 AM Omniance: Clara: Hey! She runs to the front door as he runs out. Be careful! AM Omniance: About two hours pass and Yuri is now driving in the middle of no where, everything in every direction is desert with sparse plant life. He's not really alone as there's tons of large semi-trucks passing him on the highway. Despite being in the desert it's dark due to grey clouds overhead, and it's drizzling lightly. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks at one of the semi-trucks, passing him on the road for the fifth time this hour. He has his music blasting so he doesn't have to hear their horns or loud engines. AM Omniance: Another half hour passes, completely uneventful. The station starts becoming static as he's getting to far out into no where. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks down at his radio and tries changing to station to something that works. AM Omniance: Random Mexican stations come up a few times before a station that's just silence. After a moment the familiar deep voice is heard with a sudden surge of white noise. What is never used by its creator, bought but never needed by its buyer, and home to he who cannot feel, see, or smell it? AM Arbi: Yuri: He squints his eyes down at the radio but looks up, keeping his eyes on the road while he listens to the riddle. What is never used by its creator...bought but never needed by its buyer...and home to he who cannot feel, see, or smell it... He bites his lower lip, trying to think. Air?... AM Omniance: The static crackles loudly until it becomes a deep laughter. ...A coffin.... Yuri. His right tire blows out and the Jeep jerks to the right, going off the road and into the dirt. AM Arbi: Yuri: He hits the brakes when he goes off road until the jeep stops. He's breathing a little fast but it slows down when he slowly sighs. He hits the steering wheel with his head and lets it rest there. AM Omniance: The static shifts. A woman's voice is heard. Y...ri... Yuri? It sounds familiar, similar to his mother's, but the static makes it difficult to tell. C... ou... Hear... Me? The voice has a stronger accent, but it definitely sounds like their mother's. The tone is also stern. AM | Edited 10:25:26 AM Arbi: Yuri: He turns off the radio, getting freaked out by it. He grabs his keys and gets out of the jeep, he starts pacing beside his car. Fuck...fuck....fuck. What the fuck am I gonna do? AM | Edited 10:27:37 AM Omniance: A police car drives up next to him, a jeep similar in make to his, but painted black and white. The bottom half of it is covered in mud. The window rolls down and an older man with slicked back grey hair looks out at him. You need some help son? He has a bit of an accent, like something from the south. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks at him, unsure if he should trust him. After a moment he just shakes his head. My tire blew out but I have a spare in the back. Everything's good. AM | Edited 10:37:57 AM Omniance: He looks at the back of the jeep. Well then, I'll be comin back through these parts in about an hour. If you're still here maybe I'll lend you a hand then, huh? Heheh. He waves and rolls up his window, driving off. AM Arbi: Yuri: He watches him drive off before he walks around to the back of his jeep and starts getting ready to switch out the flat tire for the spare. Every so often he stops and looks around before continuing. AM Omniance: The radio in the Jeep shrieks and suddenly there's static coming over it. After a moment a voice booms through the speaks of the car. ...The more you have... The less you can see of it... The radio shrieks and goes quiet, but there's still static. AM Arbi: Yuri: He stops tightening the lug nut on the spare tire and just lays there thinking but afraid to answer. He looks up at the car and moves out from underneath before answering. A hole? AM | Edited 10:47:23 AM Omniance: The radio rumbles like thunder. Darkness... The car creaks and begins to start sinking into the mud, slowly falling. AM Arbi: Yuri: He backs away from the car, his paranoia coming true infront of him. If he stayed underneath the car he would have been crushed. He stands up and watches his car sink into the ground, though his life isn't in danger now his only way back on the road is gone. How am I going to reach you now, Lucas... AM Omniance: As he watches his car sink, everything else around him goes dark and small red fireflies appear. The dirt is now stone, and the Jeep seems to be lodged in it. Something runs up onto the top of the car and looks down at him with red eyes. The same large glowing mouth opens. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks up at the roof of his sunken jeep. I hate you. Please die. AM Omniance: The man leaps from the jeep and lands in front of Yuri. I am beginning to think you do not like me. AM Arbi: Yuri: He just stares at him, a combination of exhaustion, anger and anxiety on his face. AM Omniance: He moves closer until he's standing right in front of Yuri. Summoned as slave, crowned as prince, locked away for a save, and divided by chance. Chained to a second born but rift to the first, agony in form, and resigned to a fate much worse... Who am I? AM Arbi: Yuri: ...Belxephon? AM Omniance: Belxephon: He goes dark, vanishing. After a moment a massive form rises in the darkness, which Yuri can only catch glimpses of. The demon looks like a large muscular man, with pitch-black skin, almost like he's covered in oil. A pair of crimson eyes appear in the darkness, and Yuri can make out a part of large spiraled horns atop his head. Huge wings expand from his back. He's at least seven feet tall. I am your chaos. AM Arbi: Yuri: He backs away intimidated by his height. This doesn't make any sense... My grandma sealed you inside me. How are you doing this?! AM Omniance: Belxephon: When is a door not a door? AM Arbi: Yuri: When it's ajar... You asked me that al- He stops and gulps, realizing that he was answering his question. ...You're not sealed inside me, not all the way. AM | Edited 11:17:08 AM Omniance: Belxephon: He vanishes and the room becomes brighter. Behind where he was the Jeep is now gone, and on the other side of the room is a boss room door. It looks different than a typical door, cracked slightly with blood pouring through it and pooling on the floor in front of it. AM Arbi: Yuri: He looks up at the larger than usual door, knowing what's going to happen. He walks forward through it and enters the boss room. AM Omniance: The room is completely red, with the walls being swollen and pulsing like flesh. Blood runs over the flesh in rivulets and streams, pooling on the ground which is inches deep with it. A creature that appears like Yuri with crimson skin stands at the center, though unlike when he was possessed this creature appears like it's fused slightly with Belxephon's essence, having spiraled horns that are sprouted from its head, and it has a strangely large mouth, similar to the glowing one Belxephon had. It's ripping chunks of flesh from the ground and devouring it in large bites, making sickly sounds, after a moment it stops and slowly looks to Yuri with it's pitch black eyes. AM Arbi: Yuri: Despite having seen this room before in the videogames seeing the living, pulsing room in person makes him a little sick to his stomach though he doesn't show it. He sees the monster in the middle of the room. AM Omniance: Red Yuri: He tilts his head slightly, standing up and dropping the chunk of flesh in his hand, causing it to fall and splatter into the bloody floor. After a moment he takes a step forwards, his mouth forming into a wide smile. ...Hungry... It runs towards him.